Closure for a Purple Dinosaur
by Shania Nowhere
Summary: The Epilogue to Barney was a thief of sorts, Dark returns home to find Krissy still there, but why?


Closure for a Purple Dinosaur

By: Shania Nowhere

Author's Note: This is the epilogue for "Barney was a thief of sorts", so if you haven't read it yet, well…this won't make much sense, heh. After many requests by readers, I've created the follow up to the story so enjoy!

Dark stepped onto the porch of the Niwa house, tired and aching all over from his prior battle with Krad, still grumbling about not getting to finish him off.

_There's always another day, Dark…we can figure it out eventually, just wait._

"Yeah yeah, I've been waiting for hundreds of years, I'm starting to feel old…" Dark groaned, opening the front door and stepping in. It was obvious Daisuke's parents were still out, no traps had been set up to snare him in his wounded state and he briskly strolled into the lobby area without much trouble. Looking up, he saw that his door was open again and he frowned, thinking, _Didn't I close that when I left?_

"Krad…" Dark raced upstairs and rushed into the room in a defensive position, startling the occupants of the room.

"Barney, you're okay!" Becky ran to him and hugged his leg, looking up with big happy eyes. He patted her head and said, "Oh right…you guys are still here. I would have thought you'd go home by now."

"Would you rather we did?" Krissy asked, looking at the floor as she rubbed her arm. Blinking curiously, he said, "Krissy, I didn't say that…you guys can stay as long as you like."

"Yay! Sleepover!" Becky cheered and jumped up and down joyfully, clutching at her sister's leg and saying, "Can we?"

"I…mom's probably worried about us…"

"It's all right, you don't have to stay the night, just until after lunch. I'm sure you're hungry and Daisuke's a good cook!" Dark smiled kindly.

"Daisuke?" Krissy stared at him and he nodded, saying, "You're turn, Daisuke." He quickly changed forms to Daisuke, scaring screams out of both girls. Stumbling a little, Daisuke knelt to the floor and took a sharp breath.

"Ow! Dark, you really gotta take it easy on me…" Daisuke whined, touching his side. Becky inched toward him and poked his forehead, saying, "Who are you? Where'd Barney go?"

"Barney?"

"Dark." Krissy explained.

"Ah, well, he's…resting now. I heard it was lunchtime? I'm starved, let's see what we can manage to rustle up!" He wobbled to his feet and Krissy stood as well, saying, "You're hurt pretty bad, I-why don't I make lunch?"

"Oh, don't worry, I've been in worse condition." Daisuke chuckled, turning and walking off to the kitchen with the girls in tow. Krissy looked down at her feet the entire time, deep in thought and just a little bit sad that Dark had left.

"You can help out if you want, the utensils are over there." Daisuke said kindly, getting to work making some lunch. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed how quiet Krissy was and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh…yeah." She looked away and he frowned, saying, "Do you…miss him?"

"I, uh…n-" She wanted to deny it but something inside her stopped the lie.

_She misses me? After all the fights we had and how much she rejected me? Why?_

"Hmm…" Daisuke smiled. After lunch was thoroughly devoured and guts were busting from the great food, Becky chirped happily.

"Wow, Daisuke, that was yummy! You're a good cook!" Becky smiled, patting her full stomach.

"Thanks! My mom taught me most of what I know. Speaking of mom…where on earth has my family gotten off to? They're not usually gone this long ever!"

"They probably left to find you, your mom left a note on the door saying to call your dad." Krissy mentioned, just now remembering.

"Oh! I'd better do that, they're probably worried sick!" He jumped up and ran to the phone, dialing his dad's cell phone number and getting the answering machine.

"Hey, it's Daisuke, I'm home and…well, sort of okay. I kind of forgot who I was for a while but-ah, it's a long story, I'll tell you when you get home. Bye." He hung up the phone and turned to find the dinner table vacated. Confused, he wandered out to the lobby and found Krissy helping her sister get her shoes back on.

"You're leaving already?" Daisuke asked sadly, hoping to get to spend a little more time with these new people Dark met, mostly so he could find out what happened to him while he was out.

"Yeah, I should get home, I have school and work and-" Krissy rambled.

"It's…Saturday." Daisuke noted. Krissy was quiet for a minute before turning to him and saying, "I guess I forgot…"

"Sissy, do we have to leave so soon?" Becky pouted, sticking out her bottom lip and sulking on the step up.

"Don't you at least want to say goodbye to Dark?"

"I'm sure he's tired, I don't want to-"

"Actually, he's been awake the whole time, I'm not sure why but he's kind of sad…"

"Sad? W-why?" Krissy blinked.

"I don't know, you can ask him if you like." Daisuke smiled, taking a deep breath and letting Dark take over again. Still not used to this transformation, the girls stiffened and watched in surprise. Becky squealed and said, "Yay, Barney's back!"

"Yeah…hey, why don't you go pack up the leftovers and take them home? There's some bags in the bottom cabinet by the refrigerator." Becky skittered off to go about her task and left the teens to…talk. Krissy nervously put her shoes on as Dark thought of something to say to her, but nothing witty or suave came to mind like usual.

_Man, what's wrong with me, have I completely lost my touch! Why can't I just say something ravishingly charming like I usually do? Is it possible that…for once, I…I…_

"I'm not sure what to say…" Dark started.

"You don't have to say anything." Krissy said, not even looking up.

"No, I do. Krissy, I…I'm going to miss you."

"Miss me? What do you mean? You're the great phantom thief who stole the hearts of women and girls everywhere, I'm sure you can find someone to make you forget all about me."

"Krissy!" Dark started toward her, saying, "You took me in even when you knew who I was, you care for me, and you didn't rat me out to the police! You also trusted me…having the reputation I do, it's not often people trust me. Well, outside the Niwa family, and even then I'm not always in best graces."

"What's your point."

"My point? Don't you understand, I-" He stopped, realizing what he was about to say and stopping himself before it was too late. He slowly backed away and turned, his eyes wide in surprise as he fiercely stroked his scalp.

_What am I saying! I can't tell her that, what right do I have to lead her on when I know that I could never…_

"What? You what? Dark…" She fidgeted and said angrily, "The least you could do is tell me after making me spill my guts to you earlier!"

"It's not that simple, I don't want to hurt you." He whispered.

"Yeah, sure…you're just looking out for yourself, pretending to care about me but not opening up to me. If I wanted a therapist, I could get my own."

"I don't pretend about my feelings when I really mean it." Dark said seriously.

"When you mean what, Dark!" Krissy sighed exasperatedly.

"I could never forget you, not when I love you!" He shouted, his eyes widening, partially because he couldn't believe he actually said it. Laughing, he shook his head and said to himself, "What am I saying, I can't love you!"

"What! Why not, is it cause I'm not good enough for you!" She seemed insulted by his remark.

"No, that's not what I mean, it's…complicated." Dark tried to calm down and explain but she waved him off, saying, "Whatever. Well, if you ever get uncomplicated, don't call me cause I don't want to make your life more complicated than it apparently is. Becky, we're leaving!"

"No, you're not!" Dark yelled in return.

"Yes, we ARE!"

"NO!"

"You can't tell us what to do!"

"Would you just stop for a minute!"

"Why should I?"

"Please, just…come with me!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the stairs, kicking and screaming the whole way. He let her go in his room and closed the door, locking it behind him.

"What do you think you're doing? You can't lock me in here, I have my rights! I don't have to-"

"I can't be with you because this isn't my life!" She frowned, saying, "What…are you talking about."

"Look, you want to know my 'complicated' life! I'll tell you! This isn't my life, it's Daisuke's, I just haunt it like generations of Niwas before him. I don't have my own life and never will cause curses don't get to have what they want! So there, that's why I can't love you, it's not fair on you and I care too much to put you through that."

"But…isn't there some way you could, like…take over some other person's body or something?"

"It's a Niwa thing. It's been like this for a long time, I have no say…"

"But that's not fair! Why do you have to suffer!"

"That's my curse…a curse for a curse, I guess…" He chuckled out of irony, looking away and walking to the window. He leaned heavily on it as he looked out at the world, saying, "You see that?"

"See…what?"

"The birds flying through the sky, the clouds whisked away by the wind, the trees dancing like a merry couple in the park...do you know how often I get to see this? I could probably count them on my hands; it's so beautiful and you get to see it everyday of your life…I envy you. I'm restricted to the night life and as much as I used to think it was the best thing in the world, it doesn't compare in the least to…this." Krissy walked over to stand beside him at the window, whispering, "You mean…you envy Daisuke." He didn't answer, knowing Daisuke was listening to them the whole time. She slipped her hand cautiously onto his and said, "Then…be with me for as long as you can." Looking up, he stared into her eyes, whispering, "But…it's not fair to you…"

"You've gone your whole life having to put up with unfair things because you never had a choice. So, even if you still don't have a choice, at least be with me while you still can."

"Krissy…"

"Dark…" She leaned into him and he wrapped his arms around her, feeling her warmth fill the holes in his heart and holding her tighter as if letting go would be the worst thing he'd ever done.

_Dark…your life has always treated you unfairly…I want you to be happy. Be happy, Dark…_

"Daisuke…thank you." Dark whispered, smiling as he felt control being handed over to him finally. Finally, after years of sacrificing his own happiness for those more deserving, he was the one being saved by the best friend he ever had.

_Maybe…we'll meet again someday. I would like that a lot…Daisuke._

The End.


End file.
